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Scientists Discover Way to Send Information into Black Holes Without Using Energy

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This New Smart Capsule Could Directly Fight the Real Cause of Stomach Ulcers Without Heavy Antibiotics

For decades, doctors have relied on powerful antibiotic combinations to fight one of the most common stomach infections in the world — Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). This tiny bacterium affects a huge number of people, especially in regions where access to clean water and sanitation is limited. In some countries, between 50% and 100% of the population may carry this infection.

Although many people do not experience symptoms, H. pylori can create serious health problems. It is one of the main causes of stomach ulcers and is also strongly linked to gastric cancer. Removing this bacterium can greatly reduce the risk of these diseases, but current treatments come with major challenges.

Now, researchers have developed a promising new approach: a smart capsule that delivers antibiotics directly inside the stomach, staying at the infection site for a much longer time while potentially reducing the need for large amounts of antibiotics.

The Problem With Traditional Treatment

The standard method for eliminating H. pylori usually involves taking several antibiotics together for a week or longer. While this approach is often successful, it is not perfect.

High doses of multiple antibiotics can cause uncomfortable side effects, including digestive problems, nausea, and disruption of the gut microbiome — the community of beneficial bacteria living inside our digestive system.

Another major concern is antimicrobial resistance (AMR). When bacteria are repeatedly exposed to antibiotics, they can adapt and become harder to kill. The growing problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is considered one of the biggest challenges facing modern medicine.

Scientists have been searching for ways to make antibiotic treatments more targeted — killing harmful bacteria without exposing the entire body to unnecessary amounts of medication.

A Capsule That “Unfolds” Inside the Stomach

Researchers at UiT The Arctic University of Norway have created an innovative drug delivery system that could change how H. pylori infections are treated.

The idea is based on combining two different materials: a natural polymer obtained from algae and a synthetic polymer. These long chains of molecules were combined with the antibiotic ciprofloxacin and then folded into a compact structure that could fit inside a capsule.

After swallowing, the capsule travels to the stomach and dissolves in the acidic environment. Once released, the folded material expands and transforms into a thin film-like structure.

This “unfolding” process is the key innovation.

The expanded film becomes too large to pass through the narrow opening between the stomach and the intestines, known as the pyloric sphincter. Because of this, it remains inside the stomach for an extended period and continues releasing antibiotics directly where the H. pylori infection exists.

According to researchers, this allows the medicine to stay in contact with the infection site instead of quickly moving into the intestines like traditional tablets.

Longer Treatment With Less Waste

One of the biggest advantages of this technology is the ability to maintain antibiotic delivery over a much longer period.

The researchers found that these hydrogel films could survive the strong squeezing movements of the stomach for at least 48 hours. In comparison, many regular medicines pass through the stomach within only a few hours.

By staying longer, the new system may improve the effectiveness of treatment because the antibiotic has more time to act against H. pylori.

Instead of flooding the entire body with large amounts of antibiotics, the medicine can be concentrated where it is actually needed — inside the stomach.

This targeted approach could potentially reduce side effects and decrease the impact on beneficial bacteria elsewhere in the body.

Safety Testing Shows Encouraging Results

Before any new medical treatment can reach patients, safety is one of the most important concerns.

The researchers tested the hydrogel films on human cells to check whether the materials could cause harm. The results were encouraging: more than 90% of the cells survived when exposed to different concentrations of the material.

This suggests that the technology appears to be safe at the tested levels, although more research is needed before it can be used in hospitals.

The team emphasizes that additional studies are required to confirm exactly how effective and safe the treatment will be in real patients.

A New Future for Targeted Medicine

This research represents a broader shift in medicine — moving away from simply increasing drug doses and toward designing smarter delivery systems.

Instead of using stronger and stronger treatments, scientists are developing ways to make medicines reach the right place, at the right time, and in the right amount.

If successful in future clinical trials, this “unfolding” capsule could provide a better way to treat H. pylori infections while reducing antibiotic exposure and protecting the gut microbiome.

It could also inspire similar technologies for treating other diseases where medicines need to remain in specific areas of the body for longer periods.

The fight against antibiotic resistance requires new ideas, and this innovative stomach-targeting capsule could become one important step toward a safer and more effective future of medicine.

Reference: Ali Raza et al, Alginate/polyethylene glycol diacrylate shape memory hydrogel films for gastric retention and antibiotic delivery in H. pylori infection, Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.carpta.2025.100967

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